Falling For You
by PICKET-FENCES-CLOSER
Summary: Just a couple fluffy stories with Max and John that are unrelated everything else.
1. Chapter 1

Max & John Fluff (Apologies Max and Kenny fans, I really shipped Max/John hard back in the day) Just going to be a couple fluffy stories, while I'm stuck with "Return to the Woods".

* * *

 **Max & John: 1** **st** **Date**

"You're kind of staring at me."

"I can't help it," John said, looking at her tight jeans and some sort of open knit sweater, as he handed her a beer on his back porch. "You look great."

She smiled at that. It took me an hour, she thought, to make myself look like this. For a casual date with John, who should have fled from me after my…I told him I didn't want to date him because he was black, and our kids might get the brunt of it? What is wrong with me? He should have fled…instead he is looking at me like…like he wants to skip dinner and screw my brains out in that lawn chair. "I clean up well. I actually thought you were born wearing suspenders."

She's adorable, he thought, and wary. "There is a lot we need to learn about each other."

She broke into a grin at that, her heart racing a bit at the way he looked at her. "We have time."

"We do."

Oh, crap, she thought, crap. Why is he looking at me like that? We can't stop staring at each other. "John?"

"Max?" he asked. "You okay?"

"Yeah, I…I don't know what to do or say with you. We always end up fighting and…it's like you see me."

"You get under my skin. I like you," he said. "Even when you annoy me. I like us spending time together…like this."

She fiddled with her beer, as he took her hand in his. Smiling a bit, she laced her fingers through his. I like how my fingers look with his. Oh, I do like him too…I've been falling for him for longer than I want to admit. "Me too."

"I should take you out. Show you what a good guy I can be."

She put her beer down and intertwined their other hands. "I know what a good guy you are. I'm happy right here with you."

Complicated, he thought, it's going to get really complicated in this town. Deputy, district attorney, the racial tensions, and her looking like the naughty girl next door with her hands in mine. "How are we doing this?"

"I thought you were cooking me dinner?"

He pulled her in closer to him, catching her breath of surprise at that. "Max."

She held his gaze. "John?"

What am I doing? Cook her dinner, stop touching her, she's so touchable. Releasing her, he stepped back. "Sorry."

"For what?"

"First date and I'm," he started. "It's our first date."

He's just as nervous as I am, she thought, he's never nervous. He's always so calm and collected…so steady with everything. Do I do that to him? Light, she thought, casual. "Can I help? I'm not much of a cook but…I think it might be fun with you."

Ah, Max, he thought, seeing her flush at that. She looks and smells so good right now and I want to keep talking to her. Taking her hand in his again, he squeezed it for a long moment. "I was trying to impressive you with my culinary skills."

"You don't need to impress me…microwave pizza is a staple for me."

"Next time."

She smiled at that. "You think there is a next time?"

He nodded, as they looked at each other again. Wrapping his arms around her, she melted against him. "Why don't we finish this time?"

I like him, oh I really like him. She looked up into his eyes, losing herself in there. Oh. Smiling, she leaned into his kiss, opening her mouth against his. Mm. Enjoying his exploring hands, she sighed in contentment as they wrapped themselves around each other.

"Max," he breathed, pulling back to look at her.

She leaned back in, her lips brushing his. Slipping his hands under her sweater, she giggled, as they melted into each other. "Oh, you're good at this."

"So are you."

He pressed his lips to hers one last time before backing off and taking her hand in his. "I suppose I should feed you."

"You should."

He gulped, looking at her again. So pretty, he thought, I don't think I want to fight with her…I want to kiss her again. Then strip these clothes off her and…No. Dinner. "Max? It'll keep."

"If we keep doing this," she started. "We'll…first date?"

He looked at their linked hands and back at her. We shouldn't, he thought, we said slowly. Feel it out…I like her and I'm having a hard time keeping my hands off her. Squeezing her hand, he led her inside. "I'm putting you to work then."

She smiled at that. "Do know I burn microwave pizza."

I just want to keep talking, John thought, keep looking at you. You're a damn flirt, Max, and you look so…so pretty. Soft…touchable and you smell amazing. "I keep Kara away from the stove, do I have to do the same with you?"

"Are you comparing me to your four-year-old?" she smiled. His adorable four-year-old, he's such a good dad whenever I see them together…it makes me forget how much he is able to antagonize me.

"Only in the kitchen."

Dangerous, Max thought, as they wrapped themselves around each other in the kitchen again. What is happening? I can't stop touching him. "John?"

He kissed her again before backing off. "I figured we should try this inside too. See if it still worked."

She giggled and wrapped her arms around his waist. "Oh, it does. Seriously? If you keep kissing me like this, I'm going to be a puddle of mush on this floor."

"Where is that aggravating and irritating deputy tonight?"

"Maybe not being aggravating because you're not poking her."

"I should have kissed you sooner than. Think of the time we'd save not arguing," he smiled, combing her hair back. "Come on. Grab a spoon. Dinner and then…"

She nodded. "If you can keep your hands to yourself, Counselor."

He gave her one last squeeze before releasing her. "Same to you, Deputy."


	2. Chapter 2

**John & Max: 2n** **d** **Date**

* * *

"I was always terrible at this," John admitted. "Kara beats me."

Max sunk her put through the windmill, and smiled over her shoulder at him. "When I was in high school we used to hop the fences of these and play drunk mini-golf. I got pretty good."

"That doesn't seem like you."

"I had a very rebellious stage."

"That I would have liked to have seen," he said. Casual, he thought, easy, see where it goes with her. "You crushed me, Max. Loser buys dessert?"

She took his offered hand, as they returned the balls and clubs. Lacing their fingers together, she giggled as he pulled her close to him. "I believe that was the agreement."

"You are not a giggler."

She smiled up at him, enjoying how close they were. "You bring it out in me."

Flirt, he thought, she really is one. And so delicious looking in a little sundress. Does she have an clue what she is doing to me?

"John?" she asked, as he just looked at her for a long moment. "Is losing mini golf that rough?"

He smiled at that. "No. I like this. You and me."

"Me too," she said, as he combed through her hair. Way too close, she thought, as they stood by his car together. Oh, I want to kiss him again…like on our first date and when he picked me up. Then I want to go to bed with him…no don't rush it. This is fun, home cooked meal, mini-golf, oh I like him too much. I'm falling for him… if I haven't fallen completely. Ah screw it. Standing on her toes, she pressed her lips to his and smiled, as he gathered her close to him. Hmm.

"Who taught you to kiss like this?" he murmured in her ear, before kissing her again. "Remind me to thank them."

She giggled again, feeling more girly than she was used to. I don't want to kiss anyone else. No, stop it. This is brand-new…Oh, I can't think when he looks at me like this. "I'll give you a list."

"Yeah?" he teased. "What are you doing Saturday?"

Not working, she thought, no real plans. "Depends."

"Let me take you out again. Maybe we can do better than mini-golf."

"Uh, I like mini-golf."

"Oh, we can have a rematch sometime," he said. "Come on, I have to get home for the sitter and I owe you an ice cream first. Max?"

She looked at him as he turned serious and studied her for a long moment "John? Is something wrong?"

Just that I want you to stay over, he thought, peel this dress off you and have you in my bed. After two dates, no, we said we weren't rushing us. "How can anything be wrong when I have you as my very lovely date?"

She smiled at him with that. "Well, your very lovely date really enjoyed herself tonight. Oh."

He pulled back from kissing her again, resting his forehead on hers. Kara at home. Second date. "How about Saturday night? You and me? Kara has a sleepover and we'll have all night."

She held his gaze at that, his hands resting on her butt. Oh, I do want that. "You and me?"

"You and me," he smiled. "Is it a date?"

She nodded, smiling at him before kissing him one last time. "Yes, always yes with you."


	3. Chapter 3

**Four Weeks In:**

* * *

"Ahh," Max giggled, as they half wrestled and half made out on the couch. "You win!"

"What do I win?"

She giggled again, before kissing him. "Whatever you want."

"That has possibilities," he said, her cut-offs and t-shirt, messing with him on his couch. Playing hooky from work. I don't think either of us have before. No responsibilities, no prying eyes, Kara at school…We have to disclose us soon. I have to sit down with Kara and talk to her. I want her and Max to get to know each other. I want to strip her down right now and…four weeks? No privacy, baby-sitters, right now? "Max?"

Jesus Christ, Max thought, as his hands slipped up her shirt. "John?"

Four weeks, he thought, as she wrapped her arms back around him. "You want to?"

"Want to what?"

"What do you think?"

Yes, god yes, she thought, not slow anymore. I can't keep my hands off him. I want him. Weeks of casual, dinners, drinks, mini-golf, pool, board games, the slow burn on this. "I think a lot of things."

He cocked his head toward his bedroom, as she slipped her fingers in his waistband. "What are you thinking right now?"

She shivered, as they slowly began to shed their clothes. "That I really want you inside me."

He pulled her shirt over her head. "Damn, Max."

"Oh, what are you doing to me?" she sighed, arching her back at his gentle touch. Fiddling with his zipper, as he began kissing her neck. Yes, oh yes. His mouth finding hers again, as she finally got his pants off.

He slid her shorts down, not taking his eyes off her. "What do you think I'm doing?"

"Whatever it is, don't stop."

She groaned, as they came skin to skin on the couch. Jumping as his cell phone rang next to them, they stared at each other before he eased off her. "It's Kara's school."

She nodded, suddenly very aware of her mismatched bra and underwear, as he answered. "Okay."

"What?" he said, pulling her up with him and keeping her close. "Is she okay? Where? I'll be there in 20 minutes."

"John?" Max asked, as he hung up. "What's wrong? Is Kara okay?"

"She fell off the slide. I got to get to the hospital," he said, hiking his pants back up. "She broke her arm. Here."

She took her shirt back from him. "Thanks."

"I'll call you later," he said. "Lock the door when you leave?"


	4. Chapter 4

**Meeting Kara**

* * *

"Hey," John said as she opened her front door. "We weren't sure you'd be home."

John and Kara, she thought, oh look at her poor arm in the cast, pressed to her dad's side and looking at me with familiar dark eyes. Kara, who has kept very separate from what has been going on between us. That sweet girl, ah, she loves her dad so much. "I was just…doing some cleaning and stuff. Kara, what happened?"

She buried her face in her dad's leg and didn't say anything.

"Ah, come here," John said, picking up his four-year-old and giving her a hug. "You remember Max. She's a deputy."

Kara looked at her again. "You work with Daddy."

Oh, she loves her dad, Max thought, and he's so good with her. He's such a softie with her. "I do. Uh, do you guys want to come in?"

"We were going to get ice cream…do you want to come?"

With him and Kara? In public? Here? "I'd love that."

"Are you going to kiss her, Daddy? Is Max your girlfriend?"

"Max is my," he said, looking at her. "Max is my very good friend."

Kara giggled at that. "But you kissed her. I saw, Daddy. You kissed Max."

Max flushed at that, seeing John's look of surprise. He's never flustered like this…with the cutest kid in the world in his arms.

"Kara?" he pressed. "You saw me kissing Max?"

She giggled at that and looked back at him. "In the yard. Why aren't you kissing her now?"

"Should we oblige her?"

"I really can't say no to you."

"Kiss her, Daddy."

"After ice cream," he said, putting Kara on her own feet. "Double scoops?"

Max faltered a bit, as Kara took both of their hands. "Kara what is your favorite flavor?"

"Chocolate."

"Me too."

She is adorable, John thought, in leggings and t-shirt, and Kara just took her hand. I just sprung this on her because I wanted to see her tonight…after I just left her half naked on my couch. Then said she's my friend? I want her to be more, she is more, we need to really talk. "Why don't you tell Max about your arm?"

"I jump off the slide and didn't stick my landing."

Max looked at the pink cast. "The top of the slide?"

Kara nodded. "Yes. Like in gymnastics but the ground was too hard. Daddy came to the hospital and I sat on his lap when they put my cast on."

Oh, he's such a good man. Kara loves him so much, that is obvious. What am I doing? Holding her hand, walking to ice cream, suddenly a very public date with John? Something is happening… "It's a pretty pink."

"Daddy thinks it's too pink. He wanted it to be a boring white. They couldn't do rainbow. I like pink too. Will you sign my cast? Please, Max, please?"

Awkward, John thought, a little bit, but she's trying. I did spring Kara on her tonight…and us going out in Rome together. She didn't flinch. "Well, you two…Kara, did I tell you how Max beat me at mini-golf? What do my two lovely dates say? How about ice cream and a round?"

"With my cast?"

"You're probably still better than me."

"Max, he's really bad."

Max smiled over her head at him. "Ah, he wasn't that bad when we played. But I did win, Kara…and I got ice cream as a reward."

"Daddy, you had ice cream without me?"

"Kara, winning mini-golf means ice cream. Family rule."

"Is Max in our family? Max, you're white. How can we be a family?"

"Hey, Kid," John interjected. "Does it matter what color our skin is?"

Kara shook her head. "We're all just goo on the inside. Max, you're really pretty. I don't care that you're white. Daddy said no one should make anyone feel badly about their skin."

Oh, god, she thought, she's so much like John…just is adorable four-year-old girl form. I am in so much trouble with these two. "Your dad is right."

"My daddy is great. I don't want him to be sad again. Don't make my daddy sad."

Oh, my heart, she thought, this kid…how does he resist her? How can I resist either of them?

"Being with Max makes me very happy, Kara," John interjected, smiling back at his date. "And I want you two to get to know each other. I think we're going to be happy together for a long time. What flavor, Ladies?"

People, Max thought, as John placed their order. People are looking at us, and I really don't care. Let them look."


	5. Chapter 5

**First Sleepover**

* * *

"Hey."

Max smiled through her hair at him the next morning. "Hi."

I don't want her to ever leave. Her all curled up next to me, in nothing but my old shirt and a smile. This is real, this is right with us. "Is that my girlfriend?"

She giggled, as he rolled over on top of her. "Are we going steady, Boyfriend?"

"I'll take you to a sock hop."

"Daddy?"

He froze, as Kara looked at them for a long moment. "Hey, Kid."

"Max?" she asked. "Did you and Daddy have a sleepover?"

"Do you remember what we talked about?" John asked, as he climbed out of bed. "That me and Max were special friends?"

Kara nodded. "Daddy, you love her."

He what, Max thought, does he? Do I love him? If I don't, I'm heading there.

"And why do you think that?"

"Because you kiss her. Daddy, she makes you happy."

He scooped up his daughter and looked back at his girlfriend. "That she does. What do you, Kara? Why don't we go downstairs and make breakfast? Let Max get herself together and she can come join us. How does that sound?"

"Can I stay with Max? Girl things, Daddy."

He looked at a bit of shell-shocked Max. "What do you think?"

She nodded. That sweet girl. "Kara, there isn't anyone else I want to hang out with."

"Can I do your hair? Daddy, Max has such pretty hair."

This is serious, he thought, watching as Kara jumped onto the bed with Max and hug her tightly. Ah, I like how she is with Kara. "She does. All right, you two, I'll cook and you two make yourselves lovely."

Kara giggled as Max hugged her back. "Max, are you staying every day? Are you going to live with me and Daddy? Do you love Daddy as much as he loves you? Are you going to be my mommy? Please be my mommy, Max. Daddy are you and Max getting married, so she can be my mommy?"

"Okay, Kid, that is hours' worth of conversation you just asked," John said, and things we haven't touched on…it's been six weeks together…and I do love her. "And Max is new to this and to us. Cut her a break."

"But Daddy."

"But nothing," he said, looking at a pale Max in his bed, with Kara in her lap still. "Honey? Are you okay?"

Say something, anything. Mommy. Love. Oh, I can't break this sweet girl's heart. "I'm good. So, Kara, what are you going to do to my hair while your dad cooks?"

Damn, John thought, damn, just watching them. Max didn't even flinch. She actually looks happy with Kara. My girlfriend of six weeks, who I finally went to bed with, and Kara is right…I do love her.


	6. Chapter 6

**Weekend Away:**

* * *

 **Day 1**

"I brought Kara here," John admitted. "She likes the lake and making s'mores."

She leaned back against his chest and looked at the cabin. Three days, just us. "I like s'mores too."

Look at her, he thought, old cutoffs, some tight tank top, her bra straps peeking out…I want to peel this off her. Naughty girl next door, all pressed against me. Does she know? Of course, she knows. She's a temptation…one I gave into. "Max?"

She turned around and smiled, as she wrapped her arms around him. "John?"

I'm going to marry her, he thought, she's going to be my wife. We're not there yet, not even close, but her, this close, smiling, so damn pretty, laughing, kissing me. Romance her. Love her. "Do you want to move this inside?"

"And do what?"

Wrapped around me, like a very sexy present. "Max, you know exactly what we're going to do in there. Don't play coy."

"Me?"

Damn it, he thought, as she kissed him on the porch. I can't resist her…not this soft, touchable, flirty, Max. Wrapping his arms around her, he swept her off her feet, as he opened the front door. Stumbling inside, they fell on the couch together.

* * *

 **Day 2**

Max burst into giggles by their fire, as it continued to thunder and pour outside. "I challenge."

He passed her the Scrabble dictionary. "Go for it."

"Damn it," she sighed. "You're right."

Adorable, John thought, all lit up in the fire light. Competitive. He played his next word and smiled at her. "Your turn."

"You know I never give up without a fight? I'm so tempted to concede to you."

"Who are you?"

She smiled at that, taking a long pull of her beer. "Ah, here. I believe that's 63 points?"

"I love you, Max."

She stared at her boyfriend of three months, forgetting about their hotly contested Scrabble game. Oh, John… I know how I feel. I'm not afraid of this. "I love you, John."

He forgot about their game, as crossed to sit next to her on the floor. Wrapping his arm around her, they didn't take their eyes off each other. He tilted her face to his and kissed her for a long moment. Pulling back, he cupped her face in his hand and looked into her eyes. Ah, Max… "You are the most beautiful thing I've ever seen."

She felt herself flush at that. Oh, that smile of his. His gentle hands on me. Love…it really is. It has been for a while. "You make me feel that way."

Fire-lit skin, all this red hair, her in my arms…she isn't moving away. "Come here."

"John?"

"Max?" he pressed combing through her hair, trailing his fingers down her face. "You okay?"

Love…I really am in love with him. She nodded, as they just looked at each other. "I'm always okay with you. I love you, John."

He kissed her, before pulling her up on her feet with him. "Let's call Scrabble a draw."

She smiled at that, as they wrapped themselves around each other and stumbled toward the bedroom.

* * *

 **Day 3**

My shirt and a smile, John thought, as she poured him coffee the next morning. And nothing else. Last night was…all night, ending with us a sweaty mess of tangled limbs, saying how much we love each other again. Taking the offered cup, he kissed her again. "Hey."

She smiled as she kissed him back. Mine, she thought, this man… "Hey."

We're okay, he thought, she's not fleeing over this and not just because we're in a cabin in the woods. "Sun's out…what do you say? You up for the great outdoors? Hiking? Take a swim?"

We should, she thought, and all I want is to kiss him…have his hands on me…to hear him tell me he loves me. "We should."

"Do you have other ideas?"

"I think your hands do," she smiled, as they settled on her butt. "You haven't stopped touching me."

"You're wearing nothing but my shirt after sleeping naked next to me. I want to drag you back to bed."

"I'm not stopping you."

"If we go back to bed, it's where we're staying all day."

"Oh, really?"

He smiled at that. Adorable and sexy. How could I not love her? "Drink up, Honey. You're going to need your energy."

* * *

 **Day 3**

Max leaned back against his chest, as they watched the sun go down. "Can we stay here?"

"Not go home? You want to run away together?"

"It's peaceful," she said. We did hike and swim…and say I love you. Just us. "I had a really good time. I always do with you."

"Because you love me?"

She smiled at that. "Because I love you, John."

"It does get messy at home."

She bit her lip at that. The comments, the looks, the work stuff… "I don't care what people say. I want to be with you."

"Because you love me?"

"Do you just like hearing me say that?"

He pressed his lips to her head. "I haven't told anyone I loved them since…since Deanna."

She turned to look at him, her heart racing at that. "Really?"

"Just Kara…no…not like with you and me…and Max? I love you."

She smiled, as she pressed her lips to his. "What was she like? Deanna? I mean, you don't have to tell me, it's not my business."

He combed through her hair and looked at her. "She was so smart, Max, it took me weeks to ask her out in college, she got me all tongue tied."

"You?"

He smiled at that, intertwining his fingers with hers. The thing that makes people mad, our skin colors. "She wanted to change the world. She was so determined, passionate, impulsive…you remind me of her. Not that…that's not what…that's not the reason you and me."

"I know."

"I think you two would have liked each other. She'd be happy to know that I found someone I want to spend my life with."

"You do?"

Too soon, he thought, too soon. What did I just do? "What do you think we're doing, Honey?"

"Spending time together."

"We're practically living together."

"I love waking up with you."

He kissed her. "I love having you there. Max, this, you and me…"

She kissed him back. "I love you and me."


	7. Chapter 7

**Connecting**

* * *

"She's attached to you," John said bluntly, as they sat together on his porch later on that night. "I'll get her to calm down."

"You know she's really sweet, smart, and such a great kid."

"But?"

"She runs up and hugs me, John. Draws me pictures and she made me a bracelet. I've helped her with homework, while you cook dinner. We've been spending a lot of time together, I've been sleeping over more often than not lately, and…what is she supposed to think? I don't know…she's your daughter. I don't know the boundaries of it."

"I'm not asking you to be her mom, Max."

"I never thought you were."

"She has a mom."

Max bit her lip and slammed her nerves and self-doubt away. "I know."

"She doesn't remember her."

"You do. You can tell her all about her mother."

This prickly, aggravating, deputy, he thought, telling me exactly what I need to hear. Who is this? I didn't see this side of her coming. "I know."

"You can tell me too. I know you had a great life before you moved here."

He looked at her for a long moment, sitting on the porch in old shorts, tye-dye shirt, her hair pulled back, looking more soft and vulnerable than he thought possible. Six months, he thought, and she knows exactly what I'm thinking. Effortless, he thought, that's what this is with us. Deanna would have really liked her… she would be happy that Kara is connecting with her so well. That she makes me happy again.

"John?" she asked softly, as he studied her for a long moment. "Are you okay?"

He leaned in, so their foreheads rested against each other and they didn't take their eyes off each other. "Do you know how much I love you?"

She nodded slightly, heart pounding in her chest at their closeness in the dark. Don't cry. "Why don't you show me?"


	8. Chapter 8

**Beginnings of Becoming a Family**

* * *

"Max!" Kara cried, running out of her room and to her. "I missed you! Why haven't you been here?"

Max hugged her back, catching John's eye. "I missed you too. I was just working weird hours."

"Kara," John cut in. She has been pouting for the last four days while Max worked the graveyard shift. "Cut Max a break for once."

"Daddy," she whined, holding on tight. "Why aren't you kissing her?"

He looked back at his daughter, hugging his girlfriend and Max patting her back after a long moment. I don't think she really knows what to do with this adoration Kara gives her. Nerves, he thought, she looks good in those old leggings, hoodie and ponytail. "Come on, Kid, remember what I said? You, me and Max are going to have a talk tonight."

"About what?"

"Just stuff," he said, as he watched as Kara lit around her and Max smiling as she told her all about her day. "This, Kara. Max, a little help here?"

The kid who thinks I'm the greatest thing in the world, she thought, who wants a mom. We stumbled into the ready made family thing a few weeks ago, and I can't…I don't want to hurt her. "Hey, Kara, that's great. Come on, let's go talk to your dad."

"I want to talk to you. Daddy, can I show her my art project?"

"Later, Kid," he said, watching as Kara hugged her again before taking her hand and tugging her toward the couch. I wouldn't have thought my six year old could reduce Max into such a pushover. "The three of us are going to talk for a few minutes. Come here."

"Daddy," she whined, as he lifted her into his lap. "Can I sit with Max?"

"We're going to give Max some space," he said, as she sat on the other side of the couch. "And the three of us are going to talk. I know how much you like Max, Kara. She likes you too. Right?"

Max nodded. "Absolutely."

"And you know that me and Max have been spending a lot of time together?"

"Daddy you kiss her all the time. You love her and she loves you. I'm not stupid."

Max gulped back her laugh at John's shocked expression at his daughter's declaration. We haven't exactly hid it. I spend the night here a lot.

"Daddy," she said again. "I love Max too."

He looked at Kara, then his suddenly pale and still girlfriend, and back to Kara. "Why do you love her, Kara?"

"Daddy," she whined. "She's fun. We have fun. She's pretty. We draw. She reads the best stories to me. She knows about soccer. I'm happy when she's here. Daddy, she makes you happy too."

Say something, Max thought, anything. John looks as freaked out as I feel…Kara matters in this. I need to say something.

"Are we going to be a family? Is Max going to be my mommy?' she asked, scrambling off John's laps and hugging Max again, before bounding off the couch. "Can we read my new book?"

"Go get ready for bed," John said after a long moment. "The whole thing, Kara. I'll be in when you're done and we can read whatever you want."

"Max too?"

If she doesn't run screaming for the door, which is looking like a possibility. "Give us a few minutes, Kid. You know, adult stuff."

"Kissing?"

"You never know. Brush your teeth, wash your face, pajamas on, dirty clothes in the hamper and pack your school bag up."

Max watched Kara run off, her heart in her throat. I can't move. Think. Why can't I say anything?

"You okay?"

Anything, she thought, that sweet girl… "I'm not sure."

"Neither am I."

She gulped as they just looked at each other for a long moment. "She's such a good kid."

"A good kid who loves you. She had some valid reasons too."

Max smiled and shook her head slightly. "I don't know what I'm doing with her half of the time. More like most of the time."

Not there yet, he thought, trying to convince himself of that. Not fleeing from the idea either. She is going to be such a good mom…I wouldn't have guessed from the way we irritated each other. "I love you, Max."

She felt herself flush as he pulled her closer to him. "I love you, John."

The looked at each other again, John's grin broadening as she burst into giggles on the couch. Burying her face in her hands, as he pulled her closer to him, he pressed his lips to her hair. "Since when do you giggle?"

She shook head and couldn't stop, as he wrapped his arms around her. Snuggling in closer to him, she inhaled his strong scent, the one off his shirt she had taken to sleeping in. I don't ever want to leave this spot.

"Max?" he pressed, tilting her flushed face to his. "You all right?"

She nodded, still overwhelmed by the last 15 minutes. Do I want what Kara wants? Oh, I can't deal with that right now. "It's nice to be loved."

By me and Kara, he thought, a family. It's too soon, we're going too fast...why aren't we backing away? Why isn't she? I practically dragged her out on our first few dates. Badgered her into dating me. "I'll talk to her about the mom stuff…that isn't fair to either of you."

Max paused, as their fingers interlocked. "You know I really like her too, John. She's such a great kid, she's so much like you, and..."

"And what?"

She looked at their joined hands and back at him. "Do you want what she wants?"

"We wouldn't be here if I didn't want that."


	9. Chapter 9

**Max, John & Kara: Family Time**

* * *

The stares and comments, she thought, his arm around me making me just not care. Looking back over at Kara's soccer practice, the kid who told me she loved me again this morning while John made us breakfast after some early morning fun, ending with us saying how much we loved each other. I can't panic and run, this is right. Why did I even resist it in the beginning?

"I can hear you thinking."

She smiled at him, as his hand kneaded her shoulder lightly. "It's been an intense 12 or so hours."

"What's going on in there, Max?"

She looked at him, her thoughts rolling around in her mind. We fell so fast, I've never fallen so fast for anyone. He gets me, he knows me, he makes me want things. "We just said a lot last night. I'm still processing a lot of it."

Kara telling her she loves her, wanting her to be her mom, she turns red when I tell her I love her, me telling her I want to be a family with her…She didn't run screaming from me. "Some of it is way down the road. I love you, and I always want you to be part of my life. I know Kara can be intense."

Max shook her head, looking back at the field before at him. "She's a good kid who just want what her friends have. She has such a great dad and…I don't want to hurt her by…by being my disaster of a self."

He squeezed her tighter for a moment. "I love you. Kara loves you. You're not a disaster."

"I love you too," she said softly, his words warming her. "We threw going slowly out the window."

He pressed his lips to her temple. "That we did. I'm not letting you talk yourself out of it."

"Ah, what are you doing to me?" she asked, leaning against him. "Why are you poking holes in all my irrational insecurities?"

I adore you, he thought, this softer side of you was a surprise, all curled up against me in this park, watching soccer practice, steadfastly ignoring the whispers, telling me she loves me and doesn't want to hurt my daughter. "You not wanting to hurt Kara isn't irrational. It's very maternal."

"Daddy!" Kara called, running over to them. "Max, did you see?"

This is it, she thought, as Kara sat in John's lap and grabbed her hand again. This is what I want. "You're amazing, Kara."

"Can you practice with we me again? Daddy, she played in college."

John nodded, his free hand kneading her side gently. "So I've been told."

"Can we?" Kara asked, tugging on her hand. "Please?"

Relentless, Max thought, and she makes me into a pile of mush. Taken down by a six year old who totally melts my heart. "I'll kick a ball around with you anytime."

"Lunch first, Kid," John said, mulling over their vague plans to spend the day together. See where it takes us. Feel the three us out together. I won't let the sprung up racism here hurt my daughter. Why can't we all be like this kid? She adores Max, she doesn't care what color either one of them are, she just wants her…like I want her. "Then see what happens?"

"Like we have been?"

"It's worked well."

She smiled back at him. "Let's do it."


	10. Chapter 10

**Moving In:**

* * *

"You know how glad Kara is to have you here officially?"

A week in, Max thought, as she laid spent in his arms later that night in his bed. Our bed, she thought, now. It's official, I live here now, with these two people who love me. Who really didn't give me a choice in loving them. "She's made that pretty clear. You both have been pretty blunt with me about it."

"You okay?"

She rubbed her hand across his chest. "I'm better than okay."

He caught her roaming hand in his. "You're great with her, even with the junk food. It's not easy for me either…but I see how much she adores you, Max. It's going to take some time."

Not for them, but for me. I can do this. "Do I have to make nice with those moms at ballet? Oh God, do I have to host a sleepover?"

"Max, we're a bi-racial, unmarried couple, living together in Wisconsin. You know what this town has been like lately. Trust me, no sleepover here."

She sat up and really looked at him at that. "Really? They're kids. This is crap."

"You're not that naive. You said it, as inane as it was at the time," he started. "What if we have kids?"

"We would make amazing kids," she said fiercely adjusting the sheet around herself. "Do you really think I care what color they would be? That I care what color you and Kara are? I love you and Kara. And whatever future kids there may be. I love them too."

"That's your white privilege talking."

"I love you," she repeated. "Do you care what color I am?"

"Of course I don't. You want to have a baby?"

"Someday. Maybe. I don't know. Do you? Why are we talking about babies?"

Fired up, he thought, her face flushed. "Our amazing future babies? And for the record? I love you, and am on board with having amazing kids with you someday."

"What?"

"You heard me."

She looked at him for a long moment. "Anything else you are planning for us?"

"Beside amazing babies?" he teased, tilting her face to his. "I wouldn't mind us finishing unpacking your stuff and making this our home together. I want to take you out. I want a life with you."

"We have a life together."

He pressed his lips to hers for a long moment, and she melted into him. Prickly, he thought, still unsure but doing a hell of a job of fighting through it. She belongs here with us. She knows it somewhere in there and just needs to come to terms with it. "Cara and you are my life."

So fast, she thought, this is so right. "The two of you are the most relentless people I know. John, I want all that too. This, us, I never thought…I didn't think I would have this. With anyone. Especially with the guy who pushed all my buttons on a daily basis. And now I'm naked in our bed, living with you, talking about our future and hypothetical babies."

"Amazing babies."

She groaned. "Well, they will be."

"After we get married."

"Oh, what are you doing to me?" she asked. "Why am I not panicking and running away with that? You've been so blunt and honest with me with everything, so here I go. I'm not ready to get married and have babies."

"You weren't ready to date me either."

"Playing mini golf is different than birthing a child."

Married, babies, he thought, with her. We did go fast with this and…don't do this to her. Don't keep poking at her tonight. I do like pushing her out of her comfort zone. "This isn't a tomorrow thing, but we know where this heading."

"To marriage and amazing babies?"

"When we're ready. Not now. When we are? Max, come on, we know."

She let him pull her close, as they settled back down in bed together. I do know. God, I'm going to be his wife eventually. I'd do it now if he asked…I'm out of my mind. He did this to me. Him and Kara…they made me want this life here. "Of course I know. To be clear? I will be."

"Good," he said, kissing her again. "You feel good."

She leaned back against his chest, very aware of his closeness in the dark. Smiling to herself, I'm right where I'm supposed to be.


	11. Chapter 11

**Soccer Date**

* * *

 _"_ John!" Max laughed, as he wrapped his arms around her after Kara left for her friend's house. "This isn't fair!"

He nuzzled her neck, squeezing her tighter from behind. "Max, you've made my daughter a better athlete than me. She just scored six goals against me, and I never let her win. Indulge me."

"Oh, do you want to play?" she teased, squirming in vain in his arms. "John!"

He kissed her neck again, nipping along her jaw. "I love you screaming my name."

She turned around, wrapping herself securely around him. Kissing him, she pulled back. "Game on, Counselor."

He kicked the ball back to her. "Bring it, Deputy."

"Hands to yourself," she said, suppressing a smile, dribbling it between her feet as he backed toward their makeshift goal. Dribbling closer, she took her shot. "You're catching on."

He kicked it back to her. "You and Kara do this every day. She wants to be as good as you are."

"Were," she corrected. "I haven't done this in years."

"Why did you give it up?'

She took another shot, that he failed to block and shrugged. "I graduated, got this job, life took over. I miss it…it's been fun revisiting it with her."

He kicked it back. "You're good."

She shook her head. "I'm good against a six-year-old and you."

"Don't sell yourself short. You're good, Honey."

She stopped at that, his sweet words warming her from the inside out. "Thanks."

"You okay? You look like you're going to burst into tears."

"My parents never came to see me play. Ever. I had coaches tell me I was good and…I'm almost 30, why does it bother me?"

He shot the ball past her, just watching her for a long moment. My Max, she never looks vulnerable like this. "Your parents are fools."

"I know I'm not who they want me to be."

"You're exactly who I want."

She smiled at him, shaking her head. "I hate getting stuck in my own head with this. John, I'm good. It's your shot."


	12. Chapter 12

**Growing Up**

* * *

How did I get to be so lucky to find a second great love of my life, John wondered, as he watched them kicking the soccer ball back and forth. Something is up, it's all over her face, and it's not Kara. They seemed to have worked out her growing a backbone as a parent. A parent…I should run that one by her again…because she really is becoming Kara's mom…the only one she'll remember. Whatever is bothering her right now…it's pretty bad.

"Daddy! Look!" Kara said, as he walked out on the porch. Kicking the ball in between their makeshift goal, she turned back to Max. "I did it."

He smiled, as they high fived, and shot another look at his girlfriend who wouldn't quite look at him. She'll come out with it. "You got a good coach there."

"Daddy, play with us."

He tossed his jacket and tie on the deck chair. Kicking the ball past Kara, she squealed and chased after it. Wrapping his arm around Max's waist, he kissed her cheek. "You okay?"

She fought the urge to squirm, as her friend's words rattled in her brain. It's all crap. "Yes."

Damn, he thought, as she ducked out of grasp and kicked the ball back toward Kara. "Max."

She looked back at him. I need to stop. I love him, what is wrong with me? "John, I'm fine." Something is off, he thought again, as Kara kicked the ball straight into his stomach. "Oh."

"Daddy!"

"I'm good," he said, doubling over. "Good shot, Kid."

"Daddy are you hurt?" Kara asked, as he sat back on the grass. "I'm sorry."

He shook his head, after Max finally joined him on the grass. "I wasn't paying attention. Don't worry, just need to catch my breath."

Stop being difficult, Max yelled at herself, don't do this. Laying her hand on his back, she rubbed in slow circles. Say something. "Kara, do you want to go grab your dad some water?"

"You're a good coach if she can kick a ball like that."

"I had 15 years of playing. She has a feel for it," Max trailed off. "Can you breathe? Seriously, did she puncture your lung?"

"I'm fine, Max. Just like you."

She held his gaze. "Well if you weren't so concerned about me, you might have seen the ball flying at you."

"You know I've missed you picking a fight to get out of whatever is bugging you?"

She glared at him and hated herself for it. What am I doing? This isn't his fault, it's mine for letting Kenny get in my head and awaken every insecurity I have about us. Just stop, Max, and talk to him. "I am not picking a fight."

"What's going on, Max?"

"Can we do this later?" she said finally, as Kara ran back to them. "After she goes to bed?"

"Max, can we keep practicing?" Kara asked, all but jumping in her lap. "Daddy are you okay?"

"I'm here with my two favorite people," he said, still not liking the vibe he was getting off Max, even as she wrapped her arm around her Cara in her lap. Wounded, that what this is with her, and she's retreating. Don't let her. Wrapping his arm around her, he pulled her closer to him. "You want to go another round? Take it out on the ball?"

Stop being like this, she thought, I always do this. This is the man I want to marry and have a family with. Let him know that instead of being a disaster. Wrapping her free arm around him, she felt herself crumbling a bit. "That would be good."

Seeing some sort of spark back in her, he pressed his lips to her forehead as Kara squealed when he did. "How about neither of you kick it at my head this go around?"

* * *

"Are you trying to get me drunk?" Max asked, as he handed her a fourth glass of wine. "I'm taking a personal day tomorrow anyway."

"Since when?"

She took a long swallow. He's going to badger this out of me. "Since I put in for it today and got it approved. Yes, John, I'm running from my problems, and I just want to eat a bag of Oreos in bed."

Wary, he thought, she runs toward the fire and not away. He reached out, brushed her hair back and let his fingers trail down her cheek. "Sugar junky."

She shivered at the light contact and put her glass on the counter. "I know. I'm not fine."

"No kidding."

She sighed, telling him everything that had been said to her. "It just hurt. It still does."

"Do you believe any of what they said to you?" John asked after a long moment, not taking his eyes off her. "You're shaking."

She shook her head. "They knew exactly what to say to make me…act like this. To get stuck in my own head."

"When I first came home today, and was watching you and Kara in the backyard do you know what I was thinking?" he asked, as they just looked at each other. "How lucky I was to find a second love of my life."

"John," she started, trying in vain to gulp back her tears. "Don't look at me."

"I love you. You are prickly, stubborn, argumentative, aggravating," he started, wiping her tears away with his thumbs. "You are so smart, fun, strong, independent, and more soft hearted and kind than you let on. You challenge me, make me think. You're wonderful with Kara. I love you."

She didn't fight him as he wrapped his arms around her and held her tightly. "I'm such a mess."

He squeezed her tighter. "How are you feeling about having little brown babies?"

Max took a deep breath, forcing herself to get complete control of her emotions. "I'm not ready to have a baby, but when I am? I certainly want to have one with you. I don't care what color our kid might be. You're such a great dad, that was so hard to reconcile with that guy who got under my skin and irritated me every day. We're going to make a great kid."

"It's those comments that worry me the most," he said, handing her a tissue. "That's racism, Max."

"I know."

"I know they're your friends, despite today."

" I need some time and space to sort it out."

"Is eating Oreos in bed going to help with that?"

"No, that's for me to mope. Can you not say anything? I will, just not tomorrow."

"They made you cry," John stated, keeping his arms around her. "They made racist comments to you. I'm not okay with that."

"They knew exactly what to say to," Max started. "I don't think he's racist…maybe, I don't know. He's never made a comment like that before, at least to me."

He interlocked their fingers. "This upsets people, Honey. It shouldn't, but it does. We knew that going in. You're worth it."

She looked at her hand in his and back up at him. "So are you."

He hugged her tightly again before finally letting go. "You want to head up?"

She shook her head, leaning against the counter. "Can we just hang out?"

"Are you going to fall asleep on the couch and I'm going to drag your grumpy butt upstairs like most nights?"

"Probably."

Glad to see a genuine grin on her face with that, he held his hand out to her again. "There isn't anyone else I'd rather do that with."

* * *

"This is effecting my moping and Oreo time."

"You don't mope. You get angry and push back," John said. "You argue, fight, and find the answer."

"You've made me go soft."

"Ah, that was all Kara," he said, handing her a take-out coffee at the impromptu breakfast out after putting Cara on the bus. "You mushy pushover."

"Most of the time," she agreed taking a sip of her coffee, as he slipped his arm around her waist again, as they wandered back to the car together. "I've cried on your shoulder twice in two days."

"Both times were valid."

The best guy, she thought, why did I fight against us so hard? He lets me be me and doesn't let me get away with my crap. "Hopefully I won't make it a trifecta today."

"How about you stay awake after dinner and we'll call it even?"

She groaned, as he gave her a reassuring squeeze around her waist and she looked up at him. "It's a very comfortable couch, John, with some very good company most nights."

He kissed her for a long moment on the sidewalk before reluctantly pulling back. Mine, he thought, we belong together.

"John? Max?"

Oh, crap, she thought, settling her arms around his waist as she realized he had no intention of letting her go. Discreet was the one thing he asked and I'm making out in the street with John.

"This is what you requested a personal day for?" Jimmy said, looking at his deputy and district attorney wrapped around each other.

"No, John is distracting me."

"From leaving a bed full of crumbs?" John asked. "Moping?"

"One time and you were there," she countered, as they just looked at each other. Pizza in bed, with Kara, when we first started getting serious. "Will you let me mope in peace?"

They can't take their eyes off each other, Jill thought, they adore each other. When did this happen? I thought they couldn't stand each other for the better part of a year. "Do you want to get lunch later?"

I want to hide and eat junk food. I didn't even want to put on a bra or pants, she thought, he kept telling me I'm better than this, as he dragged me out of bed and told me we were long overdue for a date, even if it was just a breakfast sandwich. He shouldn't love a mess like me…but I'm so glad he does. "Yeah, sure. I'm around."

"You ready?" John asked, as she reluctantly untangled herself from him. I would like nothing better than staying home all day with her. "I'll see you in court later."


	13. Chapter 13

**Falling Further**

* * *

"I don't want to," Max groaned, burying her face in the pillow. "Leave me alone."

"Lazy bum," John said, looking at as she pulled the covers back over herself. "You know I never would have thought you were this lump in the morning a year ago."

She snuggled in closer to him. "Stay."

Half naked, he thought, in a soft t-shirt and sleep shorts, sleepily rubbing her hand on my chest. "What are you doing?"

"Hmm."

"We have things to do today, Grumpy."

She cracked her eyes open, as he pulled her closer and rested his hand on her butt. "Stay here. All day."

"Mope and eat Oreos?"

"Don't judge me."

"Wake up, Grumpy, and I'll cook breakfast and make you coffee."

She smiled through her hair at him. "Or you could stay here with me."

Trial prep, Cara has a soccer game and a sleepover, and I'm taking Max out tonight, and I can't even get out bed right now. "You have soccer duty."

"Just a few more minutes," she murmured, just enjoying being close to him. "Can you just hold me?"

"Max," he started, as she snuggled in closer to him, her bare legs rubbing against his. "What are you doing?"

"Things I'm too sleepy to do properly."

He smiled at that, rolling over on top of her and kissing her hard on the lips. "Oh, really?"

"John," she groaned, as he kissed her again. "You should wake me up like this every morning."

"Remember you said that."

She giggled, as he began nipping at her jawline and neck. Wrapping her arms around him, she kissed him back. "Oh, I love you so much."

Ask her, he thought, we both know how right this, even if it's only been a year. I want to make her my wife, and I didn't think I'd ever want to marry someone else. My prickly, aggravating, irritating…this gorgeous creature wrapped around me. We ripped some walls down with each other. "Max?"

Hearing the change of tone when he said her name. I can't think when I'm pinned to our bed, us a tangled mess of limbs wrapped around each other. "You can't expect me to have a deep conversation like this."

"I like you like this," he admitted. "But this is a sitting up thing."

She smiled at that. "Are you going to get off me then?"

He interlocked his hands with hers and pressed them into the pillow, as he kissed her again for a long moment. "Max."

"John?" she asked, as he slid off of her and pulled her up with him. "Is everything okay?"

Her hair all grown out, he thought, running his fingers through the strands that fell down her back, flushed skin, concerned look in her eyes, she's so completely mine, he thought, as much as I'm hers. "Everything is perfect. You're perfect."

She smiled at that, as he continued to comb through her hair. "I thought I was aggravating and antagonistic."

"That too."

Too good for me, she thought, he's made me a better person. A complete sap who is reduced to mush by a recently turned seven year old. Oh, what is he doing to me? "You're kind of staring at me."

My wife, he thought, the person I want so spend the rest of my life with. The complications, the people that won't approve, it doesn't matter. She'll be Cara's mom, we'll give her some siblings and… "You're pretty irresistible."

"Daddy! Max!"

"Hey, Kid," John said, as Cara peeked in through the door frame. "Are you here to make sure that Max is up?"

"I am not that bad," Max sighed, as Cara climbed up in the bed next to John. "You two are just way too happy when the sun comes up."

"Ah, come here, Grumpy," John said, scooping her closer to him and kissing the top of her head, as Cara giggled again. "We have things to do, Ladies. Cara, do you think you can convince Max to get out of bed while I make breakfast?"

She hugged him, before scrambling over him and landing in Max's lap. "You're taking me to soccer."

Max hugged her back, smiling over Cara's head at him. God, I love this kid. I can even endure making small talk with all those parents for her. Soccer, lunch, drop her off for her sleepover and then whatever he is planning for tonight. Just that we were long overdue for adult time together and that he would love to see me in a dress. "One of my favorite things, Cara."

"Ten minutes to coffee," John said, grinning back at her. "Make sure she gets up, Kid."


	14. Chapter 14

**Proposal**

* * *

"That's my girl," John said, looking at his passed out girlfriend on the couch. "Honey?"

"Hmm," she murmured. "Is that my date?"

"Are we alone?"

"If I say yes are we going to be naked on this couch in 10 seconds?"

Cut-offs and a long sleeve t-shirt, he thought, her hair falling out of her ponytail. "Maybe I just want to talk. Everything go okay?"

Soccer, making nice with all those moms, I actually like some of them. "Somehow I'm making sugar and gluten free cookies for practice next week and having brunch and a salon day with some of them."

"Who are you?"

"I know."

"You stuff Kara full of sugar?"

She settled against his side, snuggling in close on the couch. He doesn't even have to take me out, I'd stay right here all night with him. "Well, pretty much against both our wills? Fruit smoothies and protein bars. I thought of you."

I can't stop touching her, he thought, wrapping his arms around her. Ask her, while she's all soft and wrapped around me, this loving and warm side of her that has come out. My prickly deputy. "Well there goes what I planned on taking you out for."

She smiled at that. "And where are you taking me tonight?"

"You look pretty comfy here, but," he said, combing through her hair. "We haven't had many kid free nights lately. Not that I don't love spending most nights right here with both of you, but I really want some time with just you. I should take you out because you'll be back asleep on the couch in about five minutes if I don't."

"You're welcome to join me," she teased, as he kissed her. "Oh. Hi. What happened to talking?'

"We're smart people, we can do both."

She nodded, grinning at him. "I can handle that. Why don't you lose your pants?"

"Max, will you marry me?"

"John!" she yelped. "What?"

What did I just to? She looks terrified. "Max, I'm asking you to marry me. I want you to be my wife. I love you. I want to have amazing babies with you. Not just that, an amazing life."

"Marry you?"

"You heard me the first two times. You need a third? Max, will you marry me?"

She pushed her hair back and just stared at him as he pulled a ring out of his pocket. Married? He wants to marry me? I knew he did, we…a ring? Married? I need to say something and not just sit here mute. I love him, why can't I say anything? "I…Yes."

He slid the sapphire and diamond ring on her finger and kissed her again. "Yes, huh?"

She nodded, still shocked down to her core. Looking at the ring and back to him. "Yeah, yes."

"Max?" he pressed, wiping her tears away. "You okay?"

"Yeah," she said. I need to speak a complete sentence. I love him. I can't move or think. What is he doing to me? Stop being a freak. Shivering a bit, as he pressed his lips to her forehead. Move, do something. Wrapping her arms around him, she leaned into his strong embrace, her mind swimming. Say something. Anything. "I'm good. Sorry…you surprised me. I can't even…You want to marry me?"

"Asked and answered."

She looked at him, as he intertwined his fingers with hers. "Oh, stop being a lawyer."

He smiled at her, glad to see a spark back in her as some of her shock wore off. Don't push her anymore, she still looks pretty shocked. "How about you stop looking at me like I killed your puppy instead of proposing?"

"John, you asked me to marry you. That not something that happens every day. I may have known we were heading in this direction…but it still shocked me. I'm not running screaming from you. I'd be homeless if that happened," she stated, looking at their intertwined hands and the new ring on her finger. "Can we talk about this ring? It's gorgeous."

"It was my great grandmothers. It looks good on you. I picked it up from my mom when I took Kara down there for her birthday."

"That was five months ago."

"I like to be prepared."

"You push me, John, so far out of my comfort zone. Did you really think, a year ago, that we'd be here, living together, engaged…and I'm so totally in love with you."

"A year ago you were still antagonizing me every time I saw you."

She smiled at that. The spark, chemistry, whatever it was, that made us shove back at each other. "I can say the same about you."

"We can start fighting about wedding stuff."

"Can we elope?"

He looked at her hand in his, as she settled back against his chest. "Whatever you want."

She bit her lip, looking at her ring as he stroked the back of her hand with his thumb. "That could be dangerous."

"Hey, whether you want to elope or wear a ball gown and tiara? I don't care. I just want you."

Blunt and honest, she thought, and I'm totally in love with him. She shifted so she was looking at him. "Do I look like the kind of person who wears a tiara?"

"I like you just like this."

She smiled at that, leaning in to kiss him. Wrapping herself around him, she straddled his lap. "I love you."

"Good because I love you."

"I kind of figured that when you asked me to marry you a few minutes ago."

"And you said yes," he teased. "You want to fool around? Go elope?"

"Those are my choices? Elope or sex?"

"We can do both."

Max laughed, kissing him again, relishing his hands sliding her shorts down. This is right, this is so right with us. "I believe I asked you take off your pants?"


	15. Chapter 15

**The Day After**

* * *

"I want to stay here," Max groaned, as they naked in bed together the next morning. "I can't move.

"I need to pick up Kara in a hour."

She smiled at that. "What are we going to tell her? She'll probably plan the whole thing for us."

"She'd make you wear a tiara and a ballgown."

"Never. Not a ballgown kind of girl."

"Something you can say no to her about?"

"How do you do it? She just looks at me and I turn into such a pushover. Seriously if she wanted to knock over a liquor store I'd be her getaway driver."

"No crime. I'm not prosecuting the two of you."

"I'd hire Wambaugh."

"How about no Wambaugh in our bedroom?"

"We should put that in our vows."

"When we elope?" he teased. "Next weekend?"

"Do you really think I'm going to say no?" she asked. "For the record? I know I was shocked last night when you asked me. I want to marry you. I'm off all next weekend."

Who is this, he thought, I think she's serious. "It's a date then. You, me and Kara?"

What am I doing? Did I really agree to marry him next week? Out of my mind. Don't go back on it. Marry him. "Do I have to wear white?"

"You can show up in your sweats. Max, are you serious?"

She kissed him before shooting him a grin. "You're the one who proposed. I can wear white."

He held out his hand and they shook on it. "It's a date then."

* * *

"Daddy, you asked her!" Kara cried, throwing her arms around Max on the couch.

She shot John a look, as she hugged Cara back. "You knew about this, Kara?"

"Daddy thought I was sleeping when Grandma gave him the ring. He said it was our secret."

"After all of our girl dates and you didn't spill the beans to me?"

"Daddy wanted to surprise you," Kara stated.

"Max was certainly surprised," John stated, grinning as he watched his fiance and daughter together. "What do you think, Kid? Are you okay with Max being part of our family?"

"She already is," Kara said, hugging her again. "She's my mommy. Not my tummy mommy, Daddy. My new mommy."

Max gulped. I do want to be her mom…and John's wife. And have amazing babies with him, give Kara a sibling or two. Why do I keep thinking about having babies with him?

John nodded, as he and Max exchanged a long look. "I can't think of anyone better to be your new mommy, Kara."

"You're my mommy?" Kara asked. "Please, Max, please?"

Wife and mother, she thought, I can do this. I want to do this. "I'd love to be."

"Mommy," Kara said. "I love you, Mommy."

* * *

"How are you doing, Mom?"

"That is going to take some getting used to," Max said, taking a long swallow of her beer. "Are you okay with it? Seriously, I want to know."

"Are you?"

"With Kara calling me mommy?" Max asked. "It freaks me out a little. Tell me."

"When I put her to bed she went back and forth between calling you Mommy and Max. It isn't," he said. "Listen, I mean it when I said I couldn't imagine a better mom for her, it doesn't make it any easier for me to know that she doesn't remember Deanna. What does is seeing how much you and Kara love each other. You're a fantastic mom, Max."

"She's a good kid, with a great dad. What are you doing?"

He wrapped his arms around her and hugged her. "I love you. I can't wait to marry you."

"Six days," she murmured into his chest, hugging him back. "Are we insane doing this?"

"I would have married you today."

She smiled into his chest. Pragmatic, logical, she thought, pulling out his laptop and us booking everything in about 20 minutes, then sex on this couch. Oh, this is crazy…we're really doing this. "Are we telling people?"

"They're going to notice that rock on your finger."

"It's not that big," she said, looking at the diamond between two sapphires. "It's really pretty."

"Not as pretty as you."

She groaned, looking up at him. "Really?"

"You're gorgeous and you know it."

She felt herself flush, as he kissed her again before letting her go. "Wait until you see me in my dress. I'm going to leave you speechless. Are we telling people? The ring is pretty obvious, but about next weekend?"

"You mean when we elope?" he asked. "When I make you Maxine Littleton?"

"Oh, that sounds weird," she sighed. Pushing me, she thought, goading me for a reaction. "Almost as weird as Mommy."

"Mrs. John Littleton?"

"If you're trying to freak me out it's starting to work."

"Are you?" he asked, as she leaned against the counter. "Which part?"

She stared at him for a long moment. "All of it. Seriously, we're really doing this in six days?"

"You were there when we put down the deposit. Are you having second thoughts?"

"About marrying you?" she asked. "No. John, I'll be so proud to be your wife. We're not rushing into this?"

"Why wait on something we know is right?"

She smiled at that. "Saturday?"

"Unless you want to do it sooner?"

She kissed him for a long moment. "Come to bed with me."


	16. Chapter 16

**John and Max: Wedding Vows**

* * *

Damn it, he thought, looking at his bride is her body skimming lace dress and veil. She cannot look like this. Smiling, he lifted her veil. "Hi."

She smiled back at him, as they interlocked their fingers. "Hi."

"This new?"

Oh, he's going to make me laugh. "Nah."

So damn pretty, he thought, so radiant and smiling at me. It had to be her…it had to be this prickly deputy who makes me melt. Listening to Judge Bone, he didn't take his eyes off her. She can't look like this. My Max in her work uniform, leggings, t-shirts, curled up in my shirt, always so touchable and lovely…in a white dress, her hair all curly…my bride. My wife. "I, John, take you Maxine to be my wife."

Do not cry, Max thought, as she stood up there holding his hands listening to him say his vows to her. John…my John. Who doesn't put up with my bullshit, who loves me for me. Who makes me think, laugh, who made me a mom to the most adorable seven-year-old on the planet. "I, Maxine, take you John to be my husband."

He slid the ring on her finger, wiping her tears away. "With this ring, I thee wed."

My hand in his, she thought, this is forever. Sliding the ring on his finger, she fought to keep her voice steady. "With this ring, I thee wed."

"Do you take Maxine to be your wife?"

"I do.'

"Do you take John to be your husband?"

"I do."

"By the power invested in me by the state of Wisconsin, I pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss your bride."

Max smiled as their lips met for the first time as husband and wife. His wife…Sighing as they broke apart. Oh, how he is looking at me. It had to be him…My husband. My family…Oh, Kara.

"Daddy!" she cried running to them and tugging on both of their hands. "You're really my mommy now, Mommy."

Oh, this sweet girl, she thought, as Kara hugged her tightly. She is the best kid, and too adorable in this fluffy dress. Smiling at her, as John picked her up. "For sure."

God, we did it, he thought, looking at her, as he balanced Kara on his hip and kept his other arm around her. She's my wife…My Max. Team Littleton.


	17. Chapter 17

**Pregnancy**

* * *

"Max."

She looked up from toilet. "I know."

He crouched down next to her, handing her a washcloth. "We should buy a test and take you to a doctor."

She smiled weakly at that. I am so pregnant…I feel it. Two years of marriage, six months of trying and I am vomiting my guts out. "And if I am?"

He pressed his lips to her forehead. "Then it's about time."

I love you, she thought, as he pulled her up with him. This baby…what will they look like? We look so different…what will our baby take from each of us? "If I take a test, it makes it real."

He smiled at that, running his fingers through her long hair. Pale, sweaty, a little shaky on her feet. "Are you okay with that?"

"To be pregnant with our kid?" she smiled. "We're going to make a great kid."

He looked at her for a long moment. "You know any kids we have won't look white."

She looked up at that. "Do you think that matters to me? John, when I look at you…I see you. I know we…I know people make comments and…they look when Kara calls me Mom. I love you and Kara…and this baby that is probably in my belly. I love us. Ah! John!"

He pulled back after kissing her. "I love you too…but you taste like vomit, Honey."


End file.
